El Nacional

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New York, August 31, 2016--Authorities should investigate incidents of vandalism of Venezuelan newspaper offices and do everything in their power to ensure that journalists can work without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Patricia Spadaro, news editor at the Caracas daily El Nacional, faces daunting challenges in putting out the newspaper. Her boss, El Nacional's president and editor Miguel Henrique Otero, has been living in exile since May 2015 after a top government official accused him of defamation. Amid the country's deep economic crisis, half of Spadaro's reporters have been laid off and there is less space for articles due to a newsprint shortage. Staff must also sometimes skip work to stand in line at supermarkets to buy milk, meat, and other scarce products.

Bogotá, May 15, 2015--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a decision by a Venezuelan judge that prohibits 22 news executives from three independent media outlets from leaving the country due to a defamation lawsuit filed by one of Venezuela's most powerful politicians. According to news reports, the lawsuit and travel ban came after three outlets republished in January a story from the Spanish daily ABC that linked Diosdado Cabello, president of Venezuela's National Assembly, to drug trafficking.

Tal Cual, one of the few remaining Venezuelan newspapers critical of the government, is so shorthanded there's often no receptionist on hand to let people in. Visitors must bang on the front door until someone in the newsroom notices. That can take a while because there are hardly any editors or journalists left.

New
York, February 20, 2014--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the wave
of violence against and harassment and detentions of journalists covering
protests in Venezuela in recent days and calls on authorities to ensure the
press can work safely. The violations come amid nationwide protests that have
left at least six
dead and hundreds injured. The demonstrations began on February 12 by university
students protesting the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

Although nearly all Venezuelan newspapers have websites, many of their readers like to get their news the old-fashioned way: on paper. But that's getting tougher every day amid a critical shortage of newsprint.

New
York, August 12, 2013--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the ruling
by a Venezuelan judge against two dailies last week that bans the publication
of violent photographs and imposes hefty fines, according to news reports.

Tags:

The Chávez administration has used an array of legislation,
threats, and regulatory measures to gradually break down Venezuela’s
independent press while building up a state media empire—a complete reversal of
the previous landscape. One result: Vital issues are going uncovered in an
election year. A CPJ special report by Monica
Campbell

The mysterious
group N33 has targeted the online accounts of journalists critical of the Chávez
administration. The victims are subject to fake messages, insults, and
intimidating threats. By John Otis

In Latin America, A Return of Censorship

By Carlos Lauría

As the preeminent political family in the northeastern state of Maranhão for more than 40 years, the Sarneys are used to getting their way in Brazilian civic life. So when the leading national daily O Estado de S. Paulo published allegations in June 2009 that linked José Sarney, the Senate president and the nation's former leader, to nepotism and corruption, the political clan did not sit idly by. The Sarneys turned to a judge in Brasília, winning an injunction that halted O Estado from publishing any more reports about the allegations. Eighteen months later, as 2010 came to a close, the ban remained in effect despite domestic and international outcry.